


Matchmaker, Matchmaker

by dsa_archivist



Category: due South
Genre: Drama, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Romance, Slash
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 1999-03-19
Updated: 1999-03-19
Packaged: 2018-11-10 17:58:33
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,049
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11131926
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dsa_archivist/pseuds/dsa_archivist
Summary: Mama takes things into her own hands... [vwg]  This story is a sequel toAngel of the Morning.





	Matchmaker, Matchmaker

**Author's Note:**

> Note from Speranza, the archivist: this story was once archived at [Due South Archive](http://fanlore.org/wiki/Due_South_Archive). To preserve the archive, I began manually importing its works to the AO3 as an Open Doors-approved project in June 2017. I tried to reach out to all creators about the move and posted announcements, but may not have reached everyone. If you are (or know) this creator, please contact me using the e-mail address on [Due South Archive collection profile](http://archiveofourown.org/collections/duesoutharchive).

Matchmaker, Matchmaker

# Song Cycle #11:

#  Matchmaker, Matchmaker

**WARNING: PG-rated, M/M situation implied.** Follows "How Am I Supposed To Live Without You?", "The Beat of a Different Drum", "On My Own", "Blue Moon," "Living in the Real World," "Clutching at a Dream," "Libera Me," any and all versions of "Last Night of the World," "What I Did for Love," and "Angel of the Morning." 

* * *

_Well, if you've been following along you know that the guys are being all noble and tragic and _stupid_... and worst of all they're not talking to each other. Well I'm sorry, but even an author who keeps churning out angst right and left can only take so much._

So I called for reinforcements. Someone who wouldn't take any sh*t off of either of them and could whip them both into shape. 

Who else but a mom?  <vwg>

This was *almost* too much fun to write. I just hope, for the sake of part 12, that the guys are still talking to me. ;-) 

In keeping with the Song Cycle tradition, I used a song title for the piece-- the title fits, even though the song doesn't at all and isn't included. (It just made a better title than "Part 8"... I know, I know... long story, don't ask... ;-) 

Italian translations once again courtesy the LOGOS Dictionary (http://dictionary.logos.it/query.html) and my combination of Spanish and Latin grammar and good old BS ;-) They're at the end. 

DISCLAIMER: Not mine-- (Goddess, I wish! ;-) No offense or trespass intended and no profit made, I assure you. 

* * *

# Matchmaker, Matchmaker

**by Dianne T. DeSha (a.k.a. "la Mercenaire")  
**   
_Cat.Goddess@pobox.com_   


* * *

"Hello, Canadian Consulate, Constable Fraser speaking. Bon jour, Le Consulat du Canada...." 

"Benton?" 

"Mrs. Vecchio?" 

"Si! Benton I am so glad to find you!" 

"Mrs. Vecchio is something wrong? Has something happened to Ray?" 

"Yes, it is terrible...." 

" _What_? I mean, I'm sorry. _Please_ tell me...." 

"His heart is broken, Benton. He is in love but now something has happened and he is alone and he is miserable." 

" _Oh!_ Oh, I mean... yes, of course, I'm very sorry to hear that, but...." 

"He needs you, Benton. Why have you left?" 

"How...? Oh! Of course. Well, you see, I'm being transferred back to.... Pardon me, Mrs. Vecchio, but shouldn't you be speaking to Ray about this?" 

"He won't talk about it." 

"Oh, I see. Well I'm very sorry, but I'm afraid in this particular case I cannot be of help...." 

"I thought you were his best friend?" 

"Yes, I'd like to think so, but... Mrs. Vecchio, I'm afraid you don't completely understand the situation, and I really feel that you should be speaking to...." 

"I understand fine. He's in love with you, Benton." 

<pause> "He told you that?" 

"I'm his mother. He didn't have to." 

"Oh. Oh, I see...." 

" _So?_ " 

"Excuse me?" 

"So, are you in love with him?" 

"I'm afraid things aren't quite that simp...." 

"Benton!" 

"Yes, ma'am, I love your son very much." 

"And you are in love with him? Like man-and-woman in love?" 

"Uh... well yes, I suppose so... however, implicit in such a statement would be...." 

"Good." 

<pause> "Good?" 

"Yes, 'good'. Loving someone who doesn't love you back is a tragic thing. I want my Raymondo to be happy, Benton." 

"As do I, Mrs. Vecchio...." 

"Rosa." 

"Pardon?" 

" _Rosa_. You call me 'Rosa', o.k.?" 

"I'm not sure that that's...." 

" _Benton_!" 

"Yes, Ma'a... um... 'Rosa'." 

"Buono, molto buono. Now, if you love him and you want him happy like me, then why did you leave?" 

"It's very complicated, I'm afraid...." 

"Benton, I am not stupid. Tell me what is wrong." 

"No, of course not! I didn't mean... I mean... There are... well, there are likely to be certain... consequences... of... of the love Ray and I feel for each other. There are rather strong prejudices generally held against such relationships, particularly in the law enforcement field... as well as in the teachings of the Catholic Church. In addition, I was under the impression that such was also the case, if you'll pardon my saying, in the Italian-American community at large, which is why, frankly, I was so surprised to observe your apparent casual take on the matt...." 

"Mamma mia! How do you talk so much and still say nothing? Madre di Dio!" 

"I'm sorry, Mrs... _Rosa_ , I didn't mean...." 

"No, no, Benton, I know. You can't help it. Raymondo has told me this is just the way you are...." 

"He wha...?" 

"So you are worried the other Mounties will be upset?" 

"No. I'm much more concerned for Ray's career, M...Rosa, as well as for ... well, for his family's reactions. His family, his faith, and his career are the most important things in his life. I would never want him to risk any of them for me." 

"I see. So he asked you to go?" 

"Well no, but...." 

"But he agreed it was a good idea?" 

"Well, no, M...Rosa. We didn't actually discuss the matter specifically, however it was fairly clear...." 

"You two!" 

"Pardon?" 

"What a pair you are! Mamma mia, da mi pazienza!" 

"I'm afraid I don't...." 

" _Look_ , Benton. All this confusion, not talking? This is very good for opera, but terrible for life, capisce?" 

"I..." 

"I want you to make me a promise, Benton." 

"A promise?" 

"Yes, a promise. A Mountie-promise so you cannot break it. I want you to promise me you will talk to my son and tell him why you are going." 

"I'm sorry, Rosa, but I can't...." 

"Yes you can. You are the one that has broken his heart, you are the one that has made my baby miserable, the least you can do is make this one little promise for me." 

"I... I...." 

" _Well?_ " 

"I... " <sigh> "All right, Rosa. I promise I will tell him." 

"To his face, before you leave Chicago?" 

"I don't know that...." 

" _Promise._ " 

"Very well. I promise. " 

"Good. You are a good man, Benton. My son has good taste." 

"I... Um... Thank you kindly...." 

"Now you go back to your work. And you remember your promise, Si?" 

"'Si.' Yes, I'll remember, Rosa." 

"Good, you be careful at work, o.k.?" 

"Yes, I will." 

"Arrivederci." 

"Yes. Goodbye...." 

* * *

"Raymondo, caro, is that you?" 

"Yeah, Ma, it's me. What are you still doing up?" 

"I'm worried about you." 

"Aw, Ma, I'm a big boy. So when are you gonna stop waiting up for me, huh?" 

"No, no, not tonight. I worry about how you are these days. You look terrible, caro." 

"Gee, thanks a lot, Ma." 

"So?" 

"So? So maybe I need more sleep... and that's where I'm going, o.k.? Buonanotte..." 

"Talk to me, caro." 

"Ma...." 

<pause>

"Look, Ma, it's nothing, o.k.?" 

"No. It's not nothing and it's not o.k. Now sit down right here and tell me." 

<sigh> "Look it's complicated...." 

"Ai! You and your 'complicated.' Everything is always so complicated...." 

"Well it _is_!" 

"And you think your mother is too stupid...." 

"No! Ma...!" 

"Then tell me." 

<pause>

"Raymondo." 

"O.k., o.k. There's... well there's this person...." 

"You're in love." 

"How...?" 

"I'm your mother, caro, I can see these things. You're in love and your heart is broken. Now tell me why." 

"Look. It didn't work out, Ma. It can't work. It's over, o.k.? End of story." 

"This one you love doesn't love you?" 

"No. I mean, yes. I mean, h... we both love each other very much. It just can't work." 

"But why? I mean you were so happy...." 

"Geez, Ma! And here I thought you kn.... " <sigh> "Look, if this person stayed with me it would mess up their whole life. I love them too much to do that. O.k.?" 

"Benton said that to you?" 

"No, he didn't have to.... _Ma_!" 

"What?" 

"How did we get onto Benny?" 

"That's who you're in love with, no?" 

"N...I mean... ye... I mean... _MA_!" 

"Shhhh, or you'll wake the children." 

<pause>

"Well?" 

<pause>

"Raymondo?" 

"Well _what_ , Ma?" 

"Look at me when you're talking to me, caro." 

"How long have you... you know...." 

"Since he left the first time, maybe sooner. It was written all over your face, caro." 

"Whoa, you don't mean...!" 

"No, no. Just for a mother to see, that's all." 

"Geez, give me a heart attack, why don'tcha?" 

"So. If you are both in love, then tell me why it is over." 

"Ma, you _know_ why." 

"Have you talked to Father Behan?" 

<sigh> "No, Ma. I... I can't." 

"Why not?" 

"Because I can't confess this, not as a sin. I just can't...." 

"So, who said confess? I said talk!" 

"To his _face_?" 

"Si! To his face." 

"Ma, he's a priest! I can't tell him this!" 

"He already knows." 

"What? _How..._?" 

"I told him." 

"You _WHAT_???" 

"Hush, caro... the children!" 

"You told Father Behan that I... that Benny...? How _could_ you?" 

"I was worried about you!" 

"So you... Oh I don't _believe_ this! I'm never gonna be able to show my face in that church again!" 

"He said it was all right." 

"He said _what_?" 

"I went because I was afraid, afraid you and Benton would go to hell for this. But Father Behan said love-- real love-- can be holy to God. Even if it is not with a woman. And you are in love, si?" 

<pause> "Si, mamma. I love him more than anything." 

"So?" 

<sigh> "So what, Ma? That's not the problem." 

"You are afraid of what they'll say at work." 

"No, no. Well, I mean, yeah, I am, but that's not it. I mean if I were that worried about looking good I wouldn't pis... annoy the Lieutenant every other day, right?" 

"This isn't the same." 

<sigh> "No, it's not. It'd be rough, I know that, but I could take it. If it meant I could have Benny I could handle anything, you know?" 

"Si, caro." 

"It's Benny that's the problem. He's a Mountie, Ma, a cop. A really good one too. I mean I'm always ridin' him about the weird stuff he pulls, but he's really one of the best, you know. If he went back to Canada he could have a real job. He could be a real Mountie again, Ma, not this sh... stuff they keep throwing at him here. I mean it's disgusting! Here he can bring in any criminal they assign him and instead they send him to pick up the dry-cleaning and stand him up on the sidewalk in the sun to see when he'll melt! How do they live with themselves, Ma?" 

"I don't know, caro." 

<sigh>

"You haven't talked to him about this, have you?" 

"We didn't need to talk, Ma." 

"Yes, you do." 

"No look, it'll only make it harder...." 

"Listen to your mother, Raymondo." 

"He's already gone...." 

"He's just at the consulate." 

"I'm not gonna ask how you know that...." 

"You don't have to be a detective to find that out, caro. Now listen to me. People in love need to talk. They need to talk more than anybody else. Look at Romeo and Juliet. They didn't talk! And just look what happened!" 

<laugh> "We're not Romeo and Juliet, Ma!" 

"Dio mio, I _hope_ not! Now promise me you'll talk to him tomorrow." 

"Ma...." 

"Promise!"  <pause> "For _me_ , caro...." 

"Aw geez,.... O.k., o.k., I'll go talk to him, o.k.?" 

"Buono. Now give me a kiss and go to bed. You need more sleep." 

<sigh> "Yes, Ma...." 

_< finis>_

* * *

[Yup, translated word by word from Spanish again... pardon for any mangling  
I've done of the Italian language in the process! ;-)]

> _Madre di Dio -- Mother of God_  
>  Mamma mia -- my Mama ;-)  
> Buono, molto buono -- good, very good  
> Da mi pazienza -- give me patience  
> Capisce -- understand  
> Buonanotte -- goodnight  
> Dio mio -- my God  
> Arrivederci -- good-bye  
> 

* * *

_Oh Goddess! I had *sooooooo* much fun with this... I *love*  
Rosa... ;-)_

Dianne  
_(Um, guys? Benny? Ray? Come on! *Talk* to me! Oh, stop pouting already. Hey! I'm gonna tell Ma on you...!!! <vwg>)_  
Dianne la Mercenaire... -*- <cat.goddess@pobox.com>  
Vanity Web Page-- http://moonlight.dreamhost.com/lamerc/  
"I have a feeling [my Muse is] not gonna let me die until I write _every_ single idea I've ever had. And she might resuscitate me after a plane crash just to redo the dialogue on something..." --CK 


End file.
